Palestinian journalists accuse Harper security guard of 'punching' cameraman at Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

Palestinian journalists covering Stephen Harper’s trip to Israel alleged that a cameraman was “punched” by one of the prime minister’s security guards Monday, although no Canadian journalist witnessed the attack and the PMO said it had no knowledge of the incident.

The alleged altercation was reported to have taken place in Bethlehem, where the prime minister visited the Church of the Nativity, built on top of the grotto where it is said Jesus Christ was born.

The prime minister’s spokesman on the trip, Jason MacDonald, told Postmedia News, “I did not witness the alleged incident.” He referred queries to the RCMP, which provides security for Harper. A call to the RCMP in Ottawa was not returned.

Because there was not much space at the church, Canadian journalists travelling with Harper were limited to a small group filing a “pool report” to the others. The pool reporter, from the Canadian Press, said the incident occurred when a videographer from the prime minister’s office was let into the church before Canadian and Palestinian journalists. The CP reporter said she saw no one being punched and the entire group was eventually let inside.

However, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) released a statement in which it condemned what it called an “attack” on a Palestinian TV cameraman, Amer Hijazi.

The group cited a journalist, Mousa Al Shaer, who said that once they entered the church, the Palestinians were prevented from filming and protested. “But the guard punched … Hijazi by a metal piece on his fist to Hijazi’s chest.”